The Battle of Chickamauga was the culmination of weeks of fighting between Major General Rosecrans Army of the Cumberland and the rebel Army of the Tennessee under General Braxton Bragg. The Union forces had forced the Confederates steadily backwards before, on September 19, 1863, Bragg decided to make a stand near the West Chickamauga Creek. The battle raged for two long days. The Confederates slowly pushed the Union back before, on the second day, a fatal blunder by the Union command opened a gap in the center of their lines just as the Confederates under James Longstreet attacked. Half the Union army promptly fled the scene, along with their commanding general, William Rosecrans. Fortunately for the Union army another general by the name of George Thomas made a defiant stand at Snodgrass Hill which stemmed the Confederate tide preventing the Army of the Cumberland from total annihilation. Chickamauga was one of the bloodiest battles of the war with combined casualties numbering over 34,000 men.

Unfortunately, we didn't have much time to explore the area in detail so we made a quick loop along the auto tour route. Additionally, I didn't resurrect these photos until nearly two years after I took them. This combination means that making a linear story of the battle, like I am fond of doing in my other albums, was impossible. I've done my best to match my shots with reports from others and maps I carried home with me. I always welcome comments if you notice that something isn't quite right. Anyway, enough of me...please, enjoy the album!!